What is an ingrown toenail?
A toenail becomes ingrown when the corner of the nail grows into the flesh of the toe, causing redness, swelling, and pain. People with curved or thick nails are more susceptible to developing Ingrown toenails. Though common, ingrown toenails can be extremely uncomfortable and painful.Ingrown Toenail Treatment at RENOVA
Contact Renova today if you are suffering from ingrown toenail pain. Our doctors can treat your pain and help you find ways to prevent future ingrown toenails.
FAQ: Ingrown Toenail
There are many potential causes of ingrown toenails. Wearing poorly fitting shoes, cutting toenails too short, previous toe injury, or neglecting to trim toenails are all common causes. Foot conditions like Hammertoe and Mallet Toe can make patients more prone to ingrown toenails.
If an ingrown toenail is not advanced, it is possible to treat the nail at home. However, patients with diabetes, poor circulation or an infection should see a doctor immediately and not attempt to treat ingrown toenails themselves.Otherwise, you can treat ingrown toenails at home by soaking the toe in water and an antibacterial solution 3 to 4 times per day, applying an antibiotic dressing to the toe if the nail has broken the skin, and carefully massage inflamed skin.
Your doctor can lift the nail from the skin or numb the affected toe to remove a portion of the toenail. He may also prescribe antibiotics if the toe is infected.
If you frequently suffer from ingrown toenails, you can prevent further cases by wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes and wearing protective footwear if your job or activities put you at risk of injuring your toes. Also, when trimming your toenails, be sure to trim nails straight across rather than along the curve of your toe and avoid trimming them too short.
Patients who have diabetes, circulation problems, and numbness in the toes should seek immediate treatment for an ingrown toenail and should not attempt to treat the issue at home. Sometimes, an ingrown toenail can lead to infection in the foot. In extreme cases, infection from an ingrown toenail can spread through the foot and lead to serious complications, including loss of limb.
